When containers or bottles having oval or eliptical cross-sections are transported on a conveyer, such as an endless belt-type conveyer, the direction of movement of the containers is substantially parallel with the direction of the long diameter of the containers to prevent overturning or tipping of the containers during transporting thereof. When it is desired to accumulate these containers to facilitate their packaging in a cardboard box or the like, the containers are normally continuously introduced by the conveyer into a substantially closed area which is surrounded by walls, which area thus stops and collects the containers to permit the containers to be placed into boxes or the like. However, when utilizing an accumulating structure of this type, since the containers are fed into the accumulation area by being moved in a direction parallel to their long diameter, the subsequent containers tend to wedge in around the stopped frontmost container, thus causing a chain-like reaction back along the conveyer so that the following containers are likewise wedged together due to their direction of orientation relative to the conveyer. This thus results in a stoppage of the containers on the conveyer. These known structures thus have not successfully permitted an efficient and desirable accumulation of the bottles or containers.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for accumulating substantially flat bottomed vessels, bottles, containers or the like, which apparatus specifically overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantage. More particularly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus which includes a zone for transporting the bottles or containers in a direction so that their long diameters are substantially parallel to the direction of travel, the conveyer also including an orienting zone for causing the containers to be rotated approximately 90.degree. relative to the plane of the conveying surface so that the long diameters of the containers are substantially perpendicular to the transporting direction, the turned containers then being fed into an accumulation zone so that the containers are accumulated in side-by-side relation so as to form an elongated row of substantially stationary containers disposed with their small diameters substantially aligned.
More particularly, the present invention has for its object the provision of an apparatus for facilitating the accumulation of containers, bottles or the like. The present device is characterized by the provision of a pair of side quides which define an elongated orientation passage therebetween, which side guides are inclined relative to one another so that the passage tapers outwardly in the direction of travel, the narrow end of the orientation passage being in communication with a transporting passage formed on a conveyer, and the wide end of the orientation passage being in communication with an accumulation zone formed on the conveyer.